Fig. 5: Representative ML-MD snapshots of TiB2 strained along [0001] at 300K.

Upper (x-1), middle (x-2), and lower (x-3) panels show results of simulations over different lengthscales. Key deformation stages: a bond elongation in the loaded direction, b onset of crack nucleation, and c fracture. Thin slices of the nanoscale d S1 and e S4 supercells color-coded based on volumetric strain (using the corresponding equilibrium structure as reference). Red (blue) regions denote high tensile (compressive) strain.